Prince Edward Island.

• Author: Johnston, Marian
• Position: Legislative Reports

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Second Session of the Sixty-third General Assembly resumed on April 2, 2009. Wes Sheridan, Provincial Treasurer, introduced his budget on April 16, 2009, which contained expenditures of just under $1.48 billion. Health continued to account for the largest share of provincial expenditure at just over $444 million, followed by Education and Early Childhood Development at $207 million, and Social Services and Seniors at $124 million. A deficit of $85.3 million is projected; of this amount, $39.4 million is a pension adjustment, reflecting the downturn in the international financial markets. There was only one tax measure announced in the budget speech which was to raise the tax on tobacco by five dollars per carton.

Significant Legislation

Several pieces of significant legislation were considered during the spring sitting of the Second Session of the Sixty-third General Assembly. Among them:

* Payday Loans Act (Bill No. 69) is designed to protect borrowers who take out small, short-term loans, sometimes called payday loans, intended to cover a borrower's expenses until his or her next payday. The act will require lenders and brokers to be licensed by the province, and to provide full disclosure of all fees before a loan is granted. Other provisions include a two-day cooling off period for the borrower and a prohibition on rolling over loans into a new pay period.

* The Medical Act (Bill No. 73) will make it easier for new doctors to set up practice in the province and will expedite the procedure for launching a complaint against a physician. The majority of the changes from the existing act centre on registration of new doctors and the disciplinary process. During debate in Committee of the Whole, the act was amended to ensure that the power of the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons to make regulations is subject to the approval of the Minister of Health and Social Services.

New Rule Book

The Standing Committee on Privileges, Rules and Private Bills completed its study of the rules of the Legislative Assembly and recommended the adoption of a new rule book in its report of April 7, 2009. The committee had reviewed a number of proposed modifications to the current rules, including incorporation of committee guidelines into the main body of the rules; a simplification of capitalization, grammar, punctuation and language; a re-drafting of certain rules to conform with the practices of the House; the...